Car-roof construction.



W. H. SLATTEN & W. F. NOLAN.

` CAR ROOF CONSTRUCTION. APPLlcAIloN FILED MAYH). 1915.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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W. H. SLTTEN & W. F. NULAN.

CAR ROOF CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIO. 1915.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M7/7h v D STATES PATE oFrIoE.

WILLIAM n. sLAT'rnN AND WILLIAM n. NOLAN, or CHIcAeo, InLINoIs.

can-noon coNsrnUcTIoN- i i Specification ofI Letters Patent. i,

Application ined may 1o, 1915. serial no. 27,145.

To all 'whom t mayconcern Be i known that we, VILLIAM H. SLA'I` TEN and `WILLIAM F. NoLAkN. citizens of the United States, residing atChicago, in the county of Cook andl State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Car-Roof Constructions, of which the following. is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments in car roof constructions of that type disclosed' in .our copending application,

. combination and arrangement of parts all as hereinafter more fully described,'c1aimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective viewv of a roof construction forming the embodiment of this invention, parts e ing broken away and shown in section to `more clearly disclose details of construction, one of the cap membeis being illustrated in elevated position disconnected from its interlockin member.

Fig. 2 is a'transversesectional view. Fig.

3 'is a transverse' sectional vview taken through the longitudinal center of one of the channel plates taken about on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Figs. 4:, 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views taken on the line 4.-4,

5-5, and 6-6 respectively of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a channel plate. Fig. 8 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing more clearly the end running board support. Fig. 10 is a transverse section ofan end roof section; and Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the filler block used in connection with this roof section.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the transverse car frame members,-

V2 the side plates, 3' the purlins, and 4 the wooden sheathing boards, all of conventional construction and formation in cars of a well known type. Upon the framing is disposed the car roof constructlon which forms the embodiment of the present Invention,and which consists of -a plurality of roof sections 5 arranged at regular intervalstransversely of the car throilghout its length. These roof sections are f metallic material and formed at each'side with rebent Hanges 6 which engage over transverse channel plates or carlines 7, one of which is disposed between each pair 0f roof sec` tions. -The channel plates are Usshaped .in crosssection and are secured to the car roof, preferably by means of angle plates 7, a

sufficient number of which are bolted to the p lates and to the roof of the car at each side of said plates. The function ofthe channel plates is quite apparent in that vthey lwill impart rigidity to the car roof trans- `.versely as well as provide an interlocking connection between the respective roof sec tions. As apparent from the drawings, the channel plates as well as the roof sections are bent intermediate their lengths along a central longitudinal line of the car roof to provide for the usual sloping construction of roofs of this type.

At .the central portion of 'each channel plate 7 y is arranged transversely thereof a Patented Aug.; 3, 1915.

connecting plate or member 8 most clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, said plate or bar being bent upwardlyat its extremities and secured to its channel plate by means of rivets or like fastening members 9. VThese connecting members 9 allow certain pivotal lnovement of the connecting plate 8 which serves an advantage in roof constructions of this type in that it en- .hances the flexibility of the roof assembly.

Disposed over the connecting plate 8 is a ller block 10 shown most clearly in Fig.

` 11 of the drawings, this block being cut away transversely and centrally as indicated at 11 to receive the connecting plate at this point. The filler block 10 is also cut away ateach side as indicated at 12 so as to provide a shoulder 12 which is adapted'to seat upon the inturned or rebent flange 6 `of the adjacent roof section, which, as will be seen more plainlv as this description proceeds,l provides for the clamping of the roof sections onto the channel plates at their Vintermediate points.

Over the channel plates at each side of the car is seated a cap -member 13, said cap members having anged sides so as to engage over the rebent Hanges of contiguous roof sections. The inner extremity of each cap member is engaged in a transverse end slot 14 ofitscoperating fillerblockwhile j the opposite end of th'e cap cured to the' car by'means of clips 15 fastened to the cap and to the car infanydesired `manner, and 3 of the drawings. Thus the cap members are securely held in position and adequately afford protection against leakage at the points of connection of the roof sections with the channel plates. Each roof member or section is furthermore secured preferably to the car by a clipl one of which is attached at each end of a roof member.

As clearly shown in the drawings, and especially in Fig. 1, the car roof assembly includes a running board 17 of conventional type and extending longitudinally of the car, said running board being supported at points corresponding to the position of the channel plates by a saddle member 18. This saddle member 18 has depending flange portions or elements 19 which engage over the filler block 10 therebeneath and overthe l rebent flanges of the contiguous roof sections. A bolt or similar fastening member 20 passes through the saddle 18, the filler block 10, and into the connecting plate 8 with which it preferably has threaded connection. Thus it Will be apparent that the parts along the central longitudinal line of the car are clamped together by the bolts 20, and this combination or arrangement of parts permits of the maximum amount of flexibility of the roof construction.

In order to prevent any tendency of the running board to move longitudinally, the end brackets 21 are provided as clearly shown in Fig. 9 of the drawing. The said brackets are fastened to the ends of the car by means of bolts 22 and to a transverse filler support23 by the fastening members 24 eXtendin through a vertical extension of the brac et designated 25, being similarly connected to the running board by the fastening members 26 extending through a lateral extension 27 of said bracket.

The end roof section is, of course, similar in formation to the other roof sections exceptin'g that instead of having a rebent flange at both sides,`one side only is bent downwardly to form a depending flange 6a for securing the plate to the end of the car.

As will be obvious to those skilled -in the art, the filler blocks 10 constituting the supports for the running board are held from displacement on the channel plates by the interlocking arrangement thereof with the connecting plates 8, and furthermore, the cooperation of the spaced cap members engagmember is sel-vas clearly shown in Fig.A

ing in the ends of the filler blocks is an additional means for insuring against displacement.

l Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new is:

1.'In a car roof construction, the combination of roof sections, channel plates intermediate said sections, means attaching said plates to the car roof, a running board, supports forsaid running board carried by the channel plates and having clamping shoulders adapted to 'engage' the roof sections and clamp them against the channel plates, connecting members attached .to each channel plate with which the running board supports interlock, and fastening means connecting the running board to the connecting members and extending through the running board supports aforesaid.

2. In car roof construction, the combination of roof sections, a channel plate intermediate each pair of roofv 4sections with` ing the running board, said filler block having lateral cut away portions forming shoull ders adapted to engage over the adjacent roof sections to clamp said sections to the channel plates, a running board saddle straddling the filler block, means on each channel plate for preventing displacement of the filler block, and a fastening member intermediate said means and the running board saddle.

3. In car roof construction, the combination of roof sections having lateral rebent flanges, channel plates intermediate the roof sections 4of U-shape in cross section with which the flanges of said roof sections engage, a connecting plate secured to each channel plate, a filler block havingy a transverse groove engaging over said connecting plate whereby to Aprevent displacement of said filler block, cap members disposed over said channel plates and snugly fitting over the flange ofA the roof sections, fastening members connecting the cap members to the car roof, said, filler block having end grooves to receive the inner ends of the cap members, a. running board supported by saidl filler block, and fastening means between the running board and the connecting plate aforesaid.

by each channel plate for support- I. i

In testimony whereof we affixl our signatures. 

